1. The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Bihar and the bye-elections to 8 Assembly Constituencies of 6 States and the UT of Jammu & Kashmir on October 6, 2025.
2. ECI has issued orders on the October 9, 2025 requiring every registered/National and State Political Party and every contesting candidate to apply to the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) for pre-certification of all political advertisements on electronic media including social media before publication.
3. MCMCs have been constituted at the District and State levels for pre-certification of political advertisements as per the prescribed guidelines.
4. No political advertisements are to be released to any internet-based media/websites, including social media websites, by political parties/ candidates without pre-certification from the respective MCMC.
5. MCMCs shall also keep a strict vigil on suspected cases of paid news in the media and take suitable action.
6. Further, given the penetration of social media in the electoral landscape, candidates have also been instructed to share the details of their authentic social media accounts at the time of filing nomination.
7. According to Section 77(1) of Representation of the People Act, 1951 and the directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, political parties should also submit a statement of expenditure incurred on campaigning through internet including social media websites to the ECI within 75 days of the completion of the assembly elections.
8. Such expenditure, among other things, shall include payments made to internet companies and websites for carrying advertisements and also campaign related expenditure on development of content and operational expenditure incurred to maintain their social media accounts.

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PK/GDH/RP